


Alcatraz (If by Alcatraz You Mean a Bar)

by torigates



Category: How I Met Your Mother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 12:44:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1031835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/pseuds/torigates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened after Barney visited Lily in San Francisco</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alcatraz (If by Alcatraz You Mean a Bar)

_“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Barney what are you doing here...I can't believe it's really you...Come in, have a seat...You want some tea...I know the apartment's small but I don't need much space... let me show you some of my paintings...I think it's some of my best work ever. JUST STOP IT! Lily, you have to come home. You and Marshall belong together. The two of you have something most people search their whole lives for and never find. I know you love him and if you knew what he was going through right now you wouldn't be here for one more second. I bought you a ticket home. Marshall is one of the best people I know and it won't be long until someone else realizes that and you will lose him forever. I can't stand the thought of that happening and I cannot keep stealing chicks from him forever. Never ever tell anyone I was here, I will deny it tooth and nail; this trip never happened.”_

Lily stared at her closed door. If she hadn’t been holding a plane ticket in her hand, she would be tempted to believe that she had imagined Barney showing up in San Francisco. Before she could even form a coherent thought about what Barney’s presence meant, the door opened again.

“Hey, if you had three hours to kill before your flight, what would you do: Alcatraz or Fisherman's Wharf?” Barney asked.

Lily just stared at him. She’d thought a lot lately about going home, but she’d been scared. What if everyone hated her? What if Marshall had moved on already? She kept telling herself to finish out the program. She had already ruined her relationship with Marshall; there was no point in ruining her career as an artist as well.

Barney was staring at her. “Lily?” he asked, a touch of concern in his voice, and that was all it took. Lily started crying. Full on sobbing, and she was such an ugly crier too.

“Hey,” Barney said, walking the rest of the way into her apartment. “What’s wrong?”

Lily couldn’t answer, she was crying too hard.

Barney pulled her into a hug, and rubbed her back. It was too much. Lily had been having the most horrible time in San Francisco, she was so lonely and her art sucked. She missed her friends so much.

“Alcatraz,” she choked out eventually. “Definitely Alcatraz.”

Barney chuckled.

 

They ended up going to a bar. (Lily suggested they go for coffee, but Barney just gave her a look.)

“So,” she said once they had gotten their drinks. “How’s everyone.”

Barney gave her that same look. “Marshall is fine,” he said. “Totally heartbroken, but fine.”

Lily looked down into her beer. “He’s not over me?” she asked quietly.

“Of course not, Lily.” Barney shook his head. “Has San Francisco caused you permanent brain damage?”

Lily gave him a weak smile. “I miss him so much,” she paused. “I miss you all.”

“Then why are you still here?” he asked. “Come home.”

She shook her head. “I can’t. I have to finish the program.”

“Lily—”

“I don’t want it to be for nothing,” she said.

She thought Barney would have some sort of comeback, but he just nodded like he understood.

“So,” Barney said dragging out the word, “How is everything?”

Lily choked back a sob. “Terrible.”

“Lily,” Barney said putting his hand on her arm.

“Everyone is so creepy here, my teacher hates me and I suck at art.”

“You do not suck at art,” Barney said handing her a handkerchief.

Lily laughed through her tears. “Of course you would carry one of these,” she said.

Barney smirked. “Chicks love a gentleman,” he said.

Lily shook her head. “I don’t know how you can be so horrible and so wonderful.”

“Don’t even pretend you don’t love me,” he said.

Lily smiled and looked down at her drink. “You’re right. I can’t tell you how much this means to me, Barney,” she said smiling at him.

Barney shrugged and looked away. Lily thought he might even be blushing. “Don’t mention it,” he said.

Lily smiled.

“I’m dead serious, Lil. If you tell anyone about this—”

“All right, all right,” she said. “I don’t know why you don’t want people to know. It’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever done for me.”

Barney just shrugged.

Lily shook her head, but didn’t say anything. It was so easy to forget that Barney was a person, and a good person at that. He put on this charade, but Lily knew the truth and she wouldn’t let herself forget it.

“Come on,” Lily said. “I’ll take you to the airport.”

Barney stood and paid the tab. “You’ll come home?” he asked.

“After the program,” she confirmed.

Barney looked relieved, and that’s when it hit her. She’d left more than just her relationship with Marshall behind. She’d left all her friends. Her entire life.

“I’m sorry,” Lily told him.

Barney looked surprised. “What for?”

“I should have thought about what my leaving would mean for the rest of you. I didn’t mean to just leave like that.”

“Hey, I’m just here for Marshall,” Barney said nonchalantly.

Lily nodded.

 

At the airport Lily stood outside Barney’s gate, waiting to say goodbye. “Thanks, Barney,” Lily said.

Barney shrugged. “No problem, Lil. Just come home.”

“I will.”

Barney hugged her, and Lily couldn’t help but hold on tight. She’d been so alone here. Barney pulled back and smiled at her. Lily wanted to wish him a safe flight, but before she could say anything, Barney put his hands on her face and kissed her.

Lily was shocked, but if she was being honest with herself, she had always been curious what kissing Barney would be like (and okay, she had been curious about more than kissing). She grabbed onto the lapels of Barney’s jacket (and suddenly wearing a suit made so much sense to her), and kissed him back.

Kissing Barney was nothing like kissing Marshall. Marshall was familiar and sweet, Barney was new and intense.

After a few moments, he pulled back and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” he said. “I figured this was probably my only chance.”

Lily laughed. “Me too,” she admitted.

“You realise this means you can _never_ tell anyone I was here,” Barney said. “Marshall would murder me, and I’m too awesome to die.”

“I already said I wouldn’t,” Lily told him. “Now get out of here.”

Barney hugged her one more time. “All right, but I better see you back in New York, Aldrin.”

Lily just waved. “Next time we’ll do Alcatraz,” she called to him.

“There better not be a next time!” Barney shouted, before disappearing out of sight, leaving Lily alone again.

Lily pulled the plane ticked Barney left her out of her purse and stared at it for a long time. She could go home. She _would_ go home.

But not yet.


End file.
